


City Nights (sequel to City Lights)

by viklikesfic (v_angelique)



Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: AU, Kink, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-28
Updated: 2007-12-28
Packaged: 2017-10-05 20:25:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/v_angelique/pseuds/viklikesfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story picks up where <a href="http://v-angelique.livejournal.com/29503.html">City Lights</a> left off, with Billy, Dom, and Elijah back in London, Paris, and New York respectively.  Here I have a little New Years treat for you – I hope you enjoy, and that whatever holiday you celebrate, you had a good one!</p>
            </blockquote>





	City Nights (sequel to City Lights)

In the gutter on the northwest side of the Central Park West and 86th Street intersection, a lit cigarette dropped from the fingers of one Elijah Jordan Wood. A few seconds later, it was followed by a mobile phone the size of a credit card, only saved from its certain demise by the toe of a well-worn boot, flipping it up from the gutter as the young man bent over hastily and retrieved the little rectangle of plastic.

"Sorry! I'm here… nearly dropped the phone in the gutter."

"Smooth move, babycakes."

"Dominic Monaghan, you promised to think of a better nickname for me. Get cracking."

On the third end of the international conference call connection, Billy Boyd just snickered.

"It's fucking Tuesday. Doughnut day," Elijah explained as he precariously balanced the Krispy Kreme box, his coffee, and the morning papers to pull out his MTA card and board the bus.

"Oh lad. I keep telling you to get the doughnuts once you're downtown already," Billy chided softly. Dom laughed, and Elijah frowned as he took a seat near the front.

"I would've, yeah, if the two of you wankers hadn't made me late this morning with your pillow talk," Elijah countered, blushing when he caught the eye of a young woman with bright purple hair and a nose ring, who gave him a thumbs up. Elijah nodded politely and then took a gulp of the steaming beverage, turning his eyes to the passing scenery of Central Park West as Dom spoke in his ear.

"Oh listen, Billy, the wee one's picking up our vocabulary. How sweet."

Billy scoffed, and Elijah smiled as he imagined the older man's eye roll. "Pot calling the kettle black, love. Since when do you say 'wee?'" There was a moment of silence, and Elijah could picture Dom's blush.

"I miss the two of you so fucking much," he admitted in a rough whisper, and was met by twin sighs.

"I know, pet. Miss both of you like mad," Dom agreed.

"And likewise, of course. But you should go, Elijah. We all should. This bill is going to be…"

"Through the roof," the other two recited in unison, earning a chuckle from Billy.

"Well it is. And Elijah needs to get to work without destroying his doughnuts, so that he can keep his job and come see us in… how many is it now, Lighe?"

"Forty-two days, Billy, and don't even pretend you haven't been counting," Dom replied before Elijah could open his mouth. "It'll be the merriest Christmas I've had in years. But I've gotta go, too. I'm at the métro now. Love to you both."

"Love."

"Love yeh, Dommeh. Lighe."

"Kisses."

Elijah sighed as he clicked the phone shut on Dom's familiar goodbye. As the bus ground to a halt at 54th street, he tightened the knot of his charcoal grey scarf—fine Scottish cashmere—and balanced the cardboard box on his hip to face another day.

 

Billy hated conference calls, because they only reminded him of how difficult it was to get his two lovers and himself in the same room at the same time and also of how astronomically much it was costing the three of them to take advantage of this bit of modern technology. So normally they would make one-on-one calls, always sharing some news of the third, or send massive chains of emails, or sometimes physical letters with photographs, trinkets, and souvenirs from France or Scotland or Elijah's business travels all over North America.

A week after their three-way morning chat, intended to help Elijah cure a particularly depressing spell with a little mutually assisted wanking session, Billy found himself engaged in a more typical phone call, this time with Dominic only, as he stood in the back room of a respectable Scottish tailor's shop and tried not to whinge too much.

"Have you heard from Lighe since he made it to Seattle, then?"

"Briefly," Billy affirmed, clucking his tongue as the tailor seemed to get a bit close to certain parts of Billy's anatomy with his measuring tape. A realisation that Dom probably went through this and far more without the least bit of embarrassment only made his cheeks colour with want, and he quickly tried to think of cold showers and his dead mum.

"All right there, Billy?"

"Yes, sorry… he's fine; his flight landed all right. Busy weekend with shows and all of that."

Dom made an affirmative hum and Billy heard him sniffle slightly away from the receiver.

"Are you doing all right there, lad? We're worried about you."

"Just a cold, Billy. No need to get your knickers in a twist. I'll have you know I'm fixing myself a mug of tea presently, and as soon as we ring off I'm planning to wrap myself up in a warm blanket with _The New Yorker_. Very non-strenuous."

Billy raised an eyebrow. "You found _The New Yorker_ in Paris?"

"Subscription," Dom mumbled, and Billy smiled.

"Keeping tabs on him, are you now?"

"On his _city_ love, not the same thing."

"I know," Billy replied fondly, and Dom could hear the smile in his voice. "What sort of tea is it?"

"Twinings, one of the herbal blends."

"But which?"

"Lavender, ginseng, and vanilla. In the light purple box."

"Right then."

"Why?"

"Oh, I just thought… you know…" Billy mumbled something and Dom grinned.

"Didn't quite hear you there, Billy boy. You'll have to speak up."

"I thought I would get the same type so that we could be drinking the same thing. Thought it would be nice," he explained.

"Oh Billy, you big romantic," Dom squealed in a girlish tone. Billy snorted. "You're still at the tailor's, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Shame. I was hoping I might convince you to talk a little dirty to me. Might help me sleep, see."

Billy groaned. "Stop it, lad."

"Stop what? Teasing you? Insinuating? Making you hot? Are you hot for me, Billy?" Dom asked, dropping his voice to its best sultry tone despite the congestion.

"Dominic…"

"Christ. That _tone_, Billy. That's it, Jesus… love to hear you use that on me."

"Despite that fact that it's completely ineffective," Billy muttered.

"Nah. I just like teasing you, Billy boy. Getting you a hard on in the tailor's shop and letting them all know that it's for _me_, the bloke on the other end of the phone, and not for anyone else. Bet they're just entranced by you Bills, standing around in your boxers, waiting to be all kitted out for the wedding in linen or tweed or cashmere. Fucking beautiful, you are."

"I'm not wearing a suit, lad, I'm wearing a kilt."

Dom made a gasping, strangled little noise in his throat, and Billy smiled, pleased.

"Pictures. Promise, Billy. There have to be pictures."

"Maybe. Don't think you deserve them, now."

"Oh Billy, come on, I'm sorry love, really, you can do whatever you like to me next time, I promise, anything at all, I just want to _see_ you…"

"Anything, you say?"

Dom sucked in a breath. "Yes."

"Excellent." Billy smiled, and deliberately clicked the "off" button. He loved making the impetuous little bugger wait. The result was delicious.

 

"What did you do to him?"

Billy chuckled and tossed his sandwich wrapper in a bin before taking a left onto his street. "Just giving him a little time to cool off, is all."

Billy could practically hear Elijah's eye-roll from Seattle. "Yeah, well, when cooling off is equal to calling me and begging for phone sex, I don't know how well it's working."

"Did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Talk him off, of course."

"Nah. I figured you had something planned," Elijah replied, and this time Billy could hear his smile.

"Right you are, lad. Cheers."

"No prob. So what're you up to?"

"Going home for the day. Did you just get up?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Trying to get some writing done in the hotel room before shows tonight."

"Sounds dreadfully strenuous," Billy joked, rolling his eyes as he keyed into the flat.

"Oh, horribly so, of course. But I do what I must to earn the money to come visit you and play lovely havoc on Dominic's mind in person, you see."

Billy grinned full out this time, throwing his wallet and keys on the table and stretching out on the sofa. "Have I mentioned lately that I love you?"

"Not since your email. Love you, too. You know, I met a Scottish guy last night at a show I was working. Made me miss you."

Billy growled teasingly into the phone. "Better not have been trying to pull you, or he'll have another thing coming."

Elijah laughed and then spoke his next words slightly breathily into the phone. "And if he had been? What would you do then, Billy? Come out here and tie me up and remind me who I belong to?"

Billy groaned, his hand drifting down to press hard against his crotch, the heel of it digging into an almost painfully-quickly growing erection. "Don't have to," he countered. "You fucking _know_, lad. And you like it, don't you?"

"_Yeah_," Elijah agreed, almost a moan. "Fuck, Billy. Miss you. Yours, yeah?"

"Yeah. Fuck, you have to work?"

"Damnit, yeah, I do. Don't fucking want to, though. Want to jack off till I come, till I hear you come with me. Gotta go though now, Billy. Take care of that for me? Want you saying my name when you come."

"Yes, yes… fuck, lad, not going to take long. Stay?"

"I really shouldn't…"

"God, come on, fuck, almost…" Billy squeezed his eyes shut as his hand worked frantically inside his trousers, and he heard Elijah's breathing accelerate as he listened.

"All right Bills, come on, that's it, a little harder…"

"Yes, God, Elijah, oh…" Billy gasped as he came, just the image of Elijah listening on the other end enough to put him over. "Thank you," he whispered as soon as he could formulate words again, and Elijah just laughed.

"You're insatiable, Billy. And now I've got the worst fucking hard-on. But I really do have to go work now."

"Sorry, lad. Take a rain check?"

"You'd better believe it, boy-o. Have fun teasing Dom."

"Always," Billy replied with a little grin as he hung up the phone.

 

_Two days later…_

"William Boyd, you cunting, teasing, no-good, son-of-a-whore bastard…"

"Are you quite finished, lad?"

Dom stopped dead in his tracks, a frisson coursing down his spine at the tone in Billy's voice. His arse hit the sofa in two seconds flat, and his palm was pressing hard on the bulge in his trousers in five.

"Not necessarily," he replied, though his attempt at cockiness was weakened a bit by his sudden arousal.

"You're in your flat?"

"Yeah," Dom breathed, his eyes falling shut as he pressed down harder.

"Do you remember the scarf we restrained Elijah with the first time?"

"Oh _yes_," Dom groaned. "Billy you brilliant bloody fucker, I love you."

"Go and get it," Billy interjected, his tone still flat and commanding, not acknowledging Dom's outburst in the least. "Get your headset, too, and tell me when you're in your bedroom."

Dom uprooted half the contents of his armoire in his haste to find the famous black scarf, and as soon as he had it in hand and the headset on, took a practically diving leap to the bed. "How do you want me?" he asked huskily, gripping the fabric hard to keep his hand off his cock.

"Phone's good and secure, yeah?"

"Yeah…" Dom agreed, his voice questioning.

"Good. Tie that scarf in a knot but don't tighten it, yeah?"

"All right…" Dom made a knot quickly that he could tighten by pulling one end, and tested its strength before speaking again. "Got it."

"Now put your hands behind your back. Put the scarf around your wrists, and tighten."

Dom groaned. "You've gotta be bloody…"

"Dominic." Dom gasped. "Do it."

"Yes… yes, Billy," Dom replied, breathily, hurrying to follow instructions. "They're tied."

"Good lad. How are you? On your knees?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Good and hard already?"

"Oh _God_, yes."

"Perfect." Billy grinned. "Now scoot over to your pillows."

Dom frowned and followed instructions, shimmying forwards on his knees till he was up against the pile at the headboard. "Okay. What now?"

"Now you're going to rub yourself against them like the wanton little slut you are, Dominic."

Dom gasped, his whole body jerking forward, and he moaned. "Billy…"

"I don't get to touch you, lad, so neither do you. Can't you picture it, though? Me holding your hands behind your back, forcing you to get off this way like a dirty little whore, Elijah standing in the corner watching with that wide-eyed stare of his…?"

"_Fuck_ me, Billy," Dom groaned as he rubbed himself against the pillows in earnest now, a little unsteady but enthusiastic.

"Oh I will, lad. I'll fuck you so hard your throat is too hoarse to scream. It'll be a Merry fucking Christmas, Dominic…"

"_Billy_…"

"Yeah, keep going, don't you dare let go till I tell you to, now…"

"No Billy, I won't, oh God, _please_ Billy, please…"

"Who do you belong to, Dominic? Tell me. Right now, who's are you, you little slut?"

"Yours!" Dom gasped. "Yours, Billy, please, give it to me, please…"

"Now," Billy whispered, and he heard Dom's breath seize up over the phone, followed by a gush of exhalation that came out as a sigh.

"Jesus," Dom murmured, and Billy smiled.

"You beautiful little whore," he whispered. "Coming all over your pillows for me, my God lad."

"Do it Billy, c'mon, please," Dom groaned, getting his strength back. "Let me hear you, please Billy."

"Yes," Billy moaned in reply, his hand moving quickly on his cock as he cradled the phone with the other. "Yes, baby, oh God…."

Dominic smiled with satisfaction on the other end. "Goddamn, you're gorgeous," he murmured as he worked open the ties around his wrists and gingerly lifted himself away from the stained pillows. "Gorgeous, and hopefully an expert in stain removal," he muttered, earning a strained laugh from the other end.

"How're you feeling?" Billy asked in a soft tone. "That was all right?"

"Oh, yeah," Dom agreed breathily. "Amazing, Bills."

"Can't wait to see the two of you. Get Elijah to help me out with you, tie you up…"

"Christ."

"…or maybe get both of you, side by side, let you take turns sucking my cock…"

"Greedy bastard," Dom muttered, and Billy laughed.

"Yes, love, all for the two of you… can't help but be greedy with two beautiful boys as my lovers. Luckiest bastard ever, I'd wager."

Dom grinned and shook his head, stripping the pillowcase and walking to the sink with it. "Since when am I a boy, exactly?" he teased.

"You're a boy to me," Billy replied, grinning. "A gorgeous, wonderful, extremely sexy boy," he teased. "How many days?"

"Thirty three."

"Right then. I'll be sure to trim the tree extra-special."

"Billy?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you, um… not?"

"Not what?"

"Trim the tree. I mean, it's kind of um, well, it's kind of a tradition, you know, with my family, I mean I'd really like the three of us to decorate the tree together. As a family."

On the other end of the phone, Billy was grinning so hard it hurt.

"I'd want nothing more, lad."

"Love you."

"You too, love. Feeling all better now?"

"A little tired. Ring me after the wedding this weekend?"

"Promise. I'll say hi to Scotland for you."

"Do that. Don't forget to come home, yeah?"

"Aye, I won't… though if I get stuck in the Highlands maybe you and Elijah should just come join me. We could live in a house on a nice loch somewhere…"

"Right, Bills. A loch." Billy shook his head, hearing the smile in Dom's voice.

"Wouldn't be so bad. Anyway, I'll ring you."

"All right. See you, Bills."

"Bye Dommeh."

 

"Wood speaking."

"Happy Thanksgiving, you gorgeous Yankee Doodle you."

"Dominic Monaghan, you are seriously damaged in the head."

"But I _give_ great head, love, so try not to judge."

Elijah just snorted. "What's up?"

"Very little at the moment. No work today. Just having a cup of tea and trying to decide when I can be arsed to make dinner."

"Sounds lovely."

"And the home front?"

"Eh. Home-ish. You know."

"Actually, I don't. Tell me everything," Dom encouraged, flopping out on the sofa and folding his free hand behind his head.

"Not much to tell. I'm at my Grandma's, but you knew that."

"That I did. Are you cooking? Baking cookies?"

Elijah laughed. "I'm not quite the baking type. I am, as we speak, lying on the couch half-watching the Macy's parade while my mom and aunts and grandma attend to the feast."

"I thought you Yanks watched American football or sommat for Thanksgiving."

"Well yeah, but that comes later. It's only ten here."

"Right-o."

"Have you spoken to Billy since last weekend?"

"Too right I have. The little shit still hasn't sent me pictures," Dom muttered.

"Of the kilt?"

"What else? I bet he looked stunning."

"You know he did," Elijah agreed with a sigh. "But let's not go there. Family and all," he pointed out in a low tone.

"Ah, right. Poor lad. So does your mother know you're flying out to London for Christmas to see two supremely pervy Brits yet?"

"Not exactly," Elijah replied carefully, not sure if his mother could hear him from the kitchen.

"Told her you're going to see a couple of your friends?"

"Yep."

"Whatever works. My own mum thinks I'm spending Christmas in France with some other models."

Elijah snorted. "Does your mother even _know_ what kind of modelling you do?"

"Of course not," Dom replied smoothly. "I showed her some cologne adverts. She's very proud."

Elijah rolled his eyes. "Cologne. Right."

"So what are you eating for Thanksgiving? I want to live vicariously through you."

"The usual stuff—turkey, cornbread and regular dressing, cranberries, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes…"

"Is there pumpkin pie?"

"Of course there's pumpkin pie."

"You know, I think you Americans have a capital idea for a holiday, there."

"You just like the idea of any holiday that centres around food."

"Too right. But it's just as well; need to keep my figure trim and all that."

"Right. Don't want all those hours at the gym to go to waste."

"Exactly!" Elijah could hear Dom's smile in his voice, and it made him strangely homesick.

"I miss you."

"Aw, chin up, Elwood. You'll be here before you know it." There was a pause, and then Dom continued, voice lower. "I miss you, too."

"I should probably go, but… you take care, okay? And forward those photos when Billy emails them."

"Promise. Be good."

"Right. I'll keep my nose clean."

"You do that. Love you, pet."

"You too."

Elijah clicked the phone off, stared at it a minute, and sighed. When his aunt came in with the wine bottle, he filled his glass to the brim.

 

From: monaghan_speaking@yahoo.co.uk  
To: ewood@rmmagazine.com   
Subject: Fwd: Wedding Photos

Elijah,

Happy December!

Our dear lover has finally got off his arse and e-mailed the photos along, and I thought you'd appreciate it. Game plan for Christmas: get some shoelaces or rope, tie him to a chair, and find out what a Scotsman really wears under his kilt.

Love, Dom

 

From: ewood@rmmagazine.com  
To: monaghan_speaking@yahoo.co.uk  
Subject: Re: Fwd: Wedding Photos

Goddamn, Dominic.

Better plan. Let's both quit our jobs, fly to London, kidnap Billy, and drag him to Scotland where lots of molestation involving kilts can occur.

On a less sex-related note, aw, look at his cute little knees!

See you in twenty-two days.

Love,   
EW

 

From: boyd@thecornerbookshop.co.uk  
To: ewood@rmmagazine.com  
Subject: Photos?

Elijah,

Did Dominic send you the wedding pictures? He's been making threats and I'd like to avoid punishing him if he didn't commit the crime.

Love,  
Billy

 

From: ewood@rmmagazine.com  
To: boyd@thecornerbookshop.co.uk  
Subject: Re: Photos?

Billy,

As a matter of fact…

Aw, don't punish him for that. You look awesome in the get-up. Or better yet, punish him and let me watch. Only thing better than you fucking me, Boyd, is watching you exert control over Dom. Makes me fucking weak in the knees, it does.

Miss you worse than a cigarette on a twelve-hour flight.

Love, Elijah

 

From: boyd@thecornerbookshop.co.uk  
To: ewood@rmmagazine.com  
Subject: Punishments

Oh, I believe that can be arranged. Though I have another idea, involving two very pretty young boys of my acquaintance, tied up next to each other, their naked bodies touching shoulder to thigh, taking turns sucking me off.

Would you indulge an old man?

Yours,  
Billy

 

From: monaghan_speaking@yahoo.co.uk  
To: boyd@thecornerbookshop.co.uk  
CC: ewood@rmmagazine.com  
Subject: Re: Fwd: Punishments

Jesus Christ, Billy.

You've outdone yourself this time. God damn. Just imagining you say those dirty words out loud has given me the hard-on of the century, and no one here to take care of it but myself. Pity. But who are these pretty young things you imagine?

Yours in horniness,  
Dominic

ps—Indulgence is my middle name ;-)

 

From: ewood@rmmagazine.com  
To: boyd@thecornerbookshop.co.uk  
CC: monaghan_speaking@yahoo.co.uk.  
Subject: Re: re: Fwd: Punishments

Billy,

Hope you don't mind my passing that message along. It was too fucking hot tempting not to.

Equally willing to indulge,  
And always yours,  
Elijah

 

From: boyd@thecornerbookshop.co.uk  
To: ewood@rmmagazine.com, monaghan_speaking@yahoo.co.uk  
Subject: Nice try

For your cheekiness just now, Dominic, Elijah will be coming after the two of you finish and you, my love, will not.

In fact, better yet, I think I'll let you both go at it a while, and then I will give Elijah my hand while you watch. Then, when he has finished, you will lick every drop of his come from wherever it has landed, and _then_, then Dominic, I will take you. Until you're begging me so much your throat is hoarse. And then I'll come inside you, and maybe, _maybe_, if you're very good, I'll ask Elijah to suck your cock.

_Very_ good, Dominic. Keep that in mind.

Yours,  
Billy

 

From: ewood@rmmagazine.com  
To: boyd@thecornerbookshop.co.uk  
Subject: Whoa.

Starting to feel just slightly extraneous here.

 

From: monaghan_speaking@yahoo.co.uk  
To: boyd@thecornerbookshop.co.uk  
Subject: Just one word for you, meine Liebe…

Please.

 

"Elijah, you could never be extraneous. Not to me."

"Hello, Billy."

"I'm serious, lad. You know that?"

"I do," Elijah replied with a smile in his tone. "How are you?"

"Tired. How many days is it?"

"Twenty even. I have to force myself not to start packing already."

Billy laughed and shifted the phone to his other ear as he put his teacup in the sink. "Have you bought our Christmas pressies yet, at least?"

Elijah snorted. "Not going to tell you either way."

"I didn't ask _what_ you bought."

"Still not telling. You'll find out."

"Fine then. After you suck Dominic off that first night, I think I'll put you over my knee, just for fun."

Billy smiled at the sharp intake of breath. _Like a charm._

"Jesus. Would you?"

"You want that, lad?"

"Fuck, Billy. So much."

"Have you ever been spanked, Elijah?"

Billy could imagine Elijah tugging his lip between his teeth, the little concerned look he got whenever someone suggested that he was innocent or "cute." He smiled and ignored the little tug in his chest that made him want to cuddle Elijah under a thick blanket and keep him safe from the world forever.

"No."

"It will hurt. I wouldn't hold back."

"I wouldn't want you to," Elijah admitted. "But I would want… Dom. I'd want to be able to see Dom. If I couldn't see you."

Billy smiled to himself. "You will, Elijah. I'll lay you across my lap and make Dom kneel on the other side. He'll kiss you while I spank you."

"Jesus. Might bite his tongue off."

Billy laughed and shook his head as he headed into the bedroom. "Wouldn't want that. I have uses in mind for that tongue."

"So do I," Elijah admitted, his voice throaty and husky. "Talk me off, Billy? I'm not going to be able to concentrate on cooking dinner if I'm in danger of tripping over my own dick."

Billy laughed. "Where are you, Elijah? In your flat?"

"You'd better damn well hope I am," Elijah hissed before answering. "Yeah. On the sofa."

"All right then, my lad. Here's what I want you to do. Slide your trousers about halfway down your thighs, legs out in front of you."

"Okay…" Billy waited till the rustling of fabric stopped before continuing.

"Are your legs held together?"

"Pretty well, yeah," Elijah agreed.

"Perfect. Now take your cock in one hand, but I want the rest of you as still as possible, Elijah. No squirming, and _certainly_ no writhing."

"Certainly not," Elijah grumbled.

"Elijah…"

"I get it, I get it. It's in my hand," Elijah interrupted before Billy could voice the impending threat.

"Good. Now here's what's going to happen. I'm going to put you over my lap just like that, trousers halfway down, cock caught between my thighs, and you're not going anywhere once I have you where I want you, lad."

"Fuck, Billy."

"No," Billy replied cheerfully. "Most certainly not. I'll have you over my lap, Elijah, arse bared to my hand, Dom holding your head. He'll lick your lips, breathe over them until you're bloody desperate to kiss him, and that's when I'll start hitting you."

"Jesus… want it," Elijah muttered, and Billy smiled.

"Not yet, lad. Not moving that hand, are you?"

"No, Billy. I wouldn't."

"Good lad. Such a good lad…" Billy purred, unzipping his own trousers one handed and kicking them off before he slid under the covers, flicking out the light and wrapping his hand around his cock. "You know what good lads get, Elijah?"

"Fucked?" Elijah asked, hopeful, and Billy laughed.

"Good lads get kisses. So I'll let Dominic kiss you, Elijah. He'll kiss you because _I_ tell him to, and then I'll start smacking you harder, twice each cheek and then again, until your arse is turning pink and you're whimpering like a fucking kitten into his mouth, lad."

"_Fuck._"

"You'll want to say something, but you won't be able to, because I'm not going to let Dom stop kissing you. He'll use his tongue like a gag, Elijah, and he'll lick all the protests from your mouth just because I told him to."

"_Billy._"

"You sound desperate, lad." And so was Billy, hand stroking furiously now, but he wouldn't tell Elijah that.

"Yes, Billy, God, _please_. Let me move my hand for you, Billy, please…"

_Let me move my hand for you…_

Billy growled deep in his throat, his back arching as he used every bit of self-restraint to keep from coming at those words. "No, lad," he bit out. "You'll keep your hand still. You'll keep your hand still and you'll fucking _come_ for me, lad, do it…"

"Billy… Billy can't…"

"Yes you can lad… yes you can…ah!" And then Billy was too far gone, and over the edge he went, a long low moan carrying through the phone wires all the way to America where Elijah, cursing, his hand still around his cock, followed him.

"Fuck… fuck… Billy… oh God. Oh _God_," Elijah gasped, and Billy smiled to himself with a fierce pride.

"That's my lad. So bloody beautiful…"

"Jesus, Billy, you nearly _killed_ me. I'm going to have to order in, now. Need the evening to recover."

Billy laughed and cradled the phone to his ear as he wiped his hand and then rolled over onto his side. "Love you, Elijah. Thank you for that."

"No, Jesus, thank _you_."

Billy smiled, feeling fiercely protective and wishing he had Elijah there right then to cuddle and kiss and tuck into his bed. "I miss you, lad."

"You too, Billy. Get some sleep, okay?"

"Aye, I will. See you soon."

"I can't wait. Love you."

"Love you, too."

 

"You broke him."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard what I said."

"Dom, I haven't the first clue what you're…"

"I rang and all he could do was natter on about bondage and you and fantasies and something about spanking… so again, I repeat. You broke my Elijah and I want to know what the hell you did. Oh, and where I can sign up."

Billy grinned broadly. "Lucky for you, Dominic, you're at the front of the queue already."

"Oh, good," Dom replied cheerfully. "How are you?"

"Well enough, I suppose. How was the shoot today?"

"Good, actually. Another one of those erotic coffee table books like the one Elijah wanks to. Got to make out with some bloke for a few hours. All in a day's work."

Billy growled deep in his throat, though he knew it was exactly what Dom wanted. "And was he attractive? This bloke you spent the day in liplock with?"

"Well of course, Bills. It's a photography book. They don't have you snog _ugly_ guys."

"Of course. Just wanted to check."

"Why?"

"So I can see how much work it's going to take to rearrange his face."

There was a pause, and Billy could practically see Dom's grin on the other end. "Billy, Billy… don't you want me to keep the young Elijah in quality material to which to wank? We wouldn't want to deprive the poor child."

"Oh, he's not going to be the one _deprived_ if you keep it up, Dominic. You want pretty pictures, I'll tie you to my fucking kitchen table and make you watch me fuck Elijah. And then I'll pull out and come all over your hard cock, but I won't untie you. I'll take pictures, lad, pictures of you hard and writhing and desperate, your skin flushed, your cheeks pink, your eyes closed as you try to block out the image of Elijah arching underneath me and how fucking hot he is as he comes, Dominic. You remember what that looks like, don't you? You remember."

"_Fuck,_" Dom groaned as Billy took a deep breath and pressed his palm hard over his own cock through his trousers. "God Billy, you fucking kill me. Every time, love."

"Want to do it to you in person, Dominic. Want to _watch_ you come undone. So fucking hard, not being able to touch you—tempted to get on a bloody train to Paris right now."

"Not without Elijah," Dom sighed as if he were trying to convince himself. "C'mon, Billy, eighteen days."

"I suppose I should be cleaning up the flat soon then."

Dom laughed on the other end. "You should see my place. I won't mind."

"Want it to be nice for the two of you, though. More clean surfaces to bend you over."

"You're a greedy bastard, Boyd."

"You never faulted me for it before."

"No. God, Billy… you know I dreamed of kissing you last night? Just… kissing you. It was nice. Different, but in a good way."

"Tamer than your usual dreams?" Billy asked, the smile in his tone.

Dom laughed. "Much. But I liked it. Sometimes I dream of Elijah. Sometimes both of you. I just don't… never fallen this bloody _hard_, you know? Never had trouble getting a date, but it's never been this intense."

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of," Billy sighed. "I don't like worrying, Dom," he admitted, his voice wavering slightly. "Don't like thinking about how young and beautiful you both are, how you go out all the time and how the boys are probably checking you out everywhere you go."

"You needn't worry," Dom replied with a little laugh. "We're too fucking addicted to you, Billy. You've got us hooked. Nothing I want more than to be in front of you, Elijah at my side. Nothing. Doesn't matter how many boys approach me, the answer's always going to be the same."

"And that is…?"

"Désolée, mais j'ai un ami à Londres avec qui tu ne pourrais jamais concurrer, même dans tes rêves les plus fantastiques."

Billy smiled. He always loved hearing Dom speak French, just an edge of the Mancunian in his not-quite-perfect accent. "What does that mean, lad?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Billy shook his head and laughed. "Going to fuck you, Dommeh. So soon…"

 

"It's snowing!"

"You rang us to tell us that it's snowing…?" Elijah could hear Billy's disbelieving look in his voice, but he just giggled and ignored it.

"It's beautiful, guys, God, I wish you were here to see it! An early Christmas present…"

"I thought it didn't snow much in New York, because of the subways and such…"

"It doesn't _stick_, but it still snows," Elijah argued.

"Cut the lad a break, Bills," Dom cut in. "Take any pictures for us, 'Lighe?"

"A few, from the window of my office. Got to finish this stupid fucking review…"

"And then you can go play in the snow?" Billy asked, amusement clear in his voice.

"Fuck you, Boyd. I shall toss a snowball in your general direction for that."

Dom laughed. "You deserved that, Billy."

"Ganging up on me, are you?"

"Always," Elijah agreed.

"Hey, I've got to ring off—dinner date. See you two soon, yeah?"

"Dinner _date_?" Billy repeated, suspiciously.

Dom laughed again. "Don't get your knickers in a twist. Business dinner."

"Just make sure it's only dinner, lad."

"Yeah, Billy will rip your eyes out otherwise."

"Not _his_ eyes I'll be ripping out."

"All right, Dad. I'll be home long before midnight. Don't work too hard, 'Lighe. Love you both. Kisses."

"Bye Dommeh."

"See ya."

 

To: boyd@thecornerbookshop.co.uk, monaghan_speaking@yahoo.co.uk  
From: reservations@britishairways.com  
Subject: Itinerary and Ticket Confirmation

This e-mail confirms your upcoming flight on British Airways.

If you have not reserved a flight with us, this e-mail is being sent to you because the passenger requested an itinerary be sent to this address. If you feel you have received this message in error, please feel free to contact our Customer Service department.

\----Itinerary: Passenger WOOD, ELIJAH J.----

22 December, 2005   
Flight: 8473  
Depart: LGA (New York/LaGuardia) 1955 NONSMOKING/MEAL  
Arrive: LGW (London/Gatwick) 905 COACH/AISLE

2 January, 2005  
Flight: 5637  
Depart: LGW (London/Gatwick) 1330 NONSMOKING/MEAL  
Arrive: LGA (New York/LaGuardia) 1730 COACH/WINDOW

\---------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for flying British Airways.

 

The bell over the door tinkled merrily as Billy stepped inside the shop, his scarf tied tightly around his neck over an extremely thick wool jumper, speckled with droplets of water from the light mist in which London was blanketed that Sunday afternoon. Carols played softly over the speakers, and the shelves were stocked to overflowing with decorations, ornaments, and stocking stuffers. Billy felt a bit bewildered, until the grinning saleslady approached him, thrusting a wooden basket into his arms.

"Welcome! I'm Clare. You look a bit lost. First time decorating? I was a bit lost myself, couple of years ago, when I had my first flat, but it's so much _fun_, you know, starting from scratch…"

"Erm, yes… I'm Billy," Billy offered, staring at the girl in a bit of bewilderment as she let out a spew of words without taking a breath, her hands flying as she spoke. Her hair was a mass of brilliant red, and she wore a rainbow-coloured scarf despite the fact that she was indoors, a piece of tinsel hanging from one side of her glasses, possibly not to her knowledge.

"Hi, Billy. What can I help you with, then?" Clare asked. "Tree ornaments? Indoor decorations? Outdoor?"

"Indoor," Billy answered, glad that there was at least one thing he knew for sure. "I have a flat, erm, it's not large… I just have someone special coming to visit for the holidays, and I wanted to impress him… them…" He bit his lip, realising his slip, but the girl just grinned brightly, seeming entirely unfazed.

"Right, then! What's this bloke like? Traditional? A bit more modern?"

Billy smiled, trying to combine Elijah and Dominic in his head to make up the theoretical single visiting boyfriend. "Definitely not traditional…"

The girl's eyes lit up, and she grabbed him by the elbow, steering him through the crowded aisles of the little shop. "Brilliant! I've been so sick of these old sods coming in for silver and gold and white lights. Dreadfully boring, don't you think? Have you got a tree yet?"

"Erm, not yet, no. My… boyfriend, well he wanted me to wait to trim the tree till he arrived. So I might be back for ornaments with him," he explained, and then mentally wondered how he was to explain when he came back to the shop with Dom _and_ Elijah in tow. Oh, well. Could always say one was a brother. A very… English brother. Half-brother, then.

"Aww, that's so sweet! Well you be sure to come back, and maybe I'll give you a little reduction on the price, though don't tell my manager," she offered with a wide grin. "Now here, take a look at these stockings, aren't they fantastic?"

What the stockings in question were was, well, extremely bright. Red, green, gold, and silver with a fantastic amount of glitter, not to mention the fuzzy white trim. "Erm… they're nice, but maybe something a little more… subtle?"

She grinned and rolled her eyes. "That's what they all say… but here, what about these?"

Billy cocked his head to the side, considering. The next option was a bit tamer, velvet stockings in all colours. "Hmm, that's a possibility…"

"You can embroider them with names, too, if you like. It's not hard, and we sell the embroidery floss."

"Och, I don't know… I'm not much for sewing…"

"Well, the alternative is an iron-on patch. We can do those in-house for five quid each, though I don't know about the fabric…"

"I'll take a blue and a green," Billy broke in hastily. "What about something to hang up? Just a little festive…"

"Oh, well I've got just the thing. You've seen icicle lights?"

"I don't think so…"

"They'd be perfect if you're going for modern, but subtle. See?" Clare grabbed a box from a shelf over her head and opened it, pulling out some glass lights designed to look like icicles on a string of electrical cord. "You can thread them around your flat, and they're quite romantic if you turn the rest of the lights off. Mood lighting."

Billy tilted his head to the side, studying the box. "Do you have them in white? Maybe a string of white and a string of red?"

"Sure!" she agreed, and then looked up at the box of red lights, on the next shelf up. "Although…"

"Ooh. I see your point," Billy replied, as they stood side by side looking up at the box over both their heads. "What if I give you a leg up?"

Clare gave him a doubtful look. "Really?"

"Sure. I'm stronger than I look. I own a bookshop; I lift boxes all day."

Clare laughed and then shrugged as he crouched down a little and laced his hands together into a foothold. "All right. If you say so."

Sure enough, the plan worked, and Billy was able to boost Clare high enough to tug down the box of red lights, though both had a hard time containing their laughter when she was safely to the ground.

"Well, that should be enough for now," Billy decided. "We'll come back once I have a tree…"

"Wait!" Clare insisted as he turned towards the till. "You've forgotten something."

Billy gave her a look of confusion. "I have?"

"Yes." She grinned and grabbed a sprig of mistletoe from a display, setting it on top of his other purchases in the basket. "On the house."

Billy shook his head, unable to contain his laughter. "Cheers, love."

"Hey, anytime. It's my job to spread a little Christmas cheer." She winked and then flitted off to the back room, leaving Billy to the girl at the till to ring up his purchases.

 

"D'accord. Et maitenant un peu à gauche… oui, oui… c'est ça…" Dom grinned cheekily at the camera, and then gave it his best come hither look. His wrists were cuffed in leather, his t-shirt was about as tight as humanly possible with the name of an obscure Seattle band emblazoned across the front, his eyes were lined in kohl and his cock was nestled snugly in the vee of his open fly. Elijah was going to love it.

 

"Attention passengers on British Airways flight 8473. The updated expected time of departure is now ten 'o five pm. Please proceed to the gate by nine thirty to begin priority boarding. We ask that all passengers bear with us as this flight is fully booked…"

Elijah sighed and turned back to the book he was flipping through in the mini-Borders. Three hours and ten minutes delayed, then. Figured. He considered calling Billy, but he didn't want to wake anyone. Shifting the bag on his shoulder, he opened it for the umpteenth time to check on his tickets, his passport, and the matching engraved rings, tucked inside the inner pocket. He was crazy. Clearly, this was a sign from God. He was just an infatuated kid and they were going to laugh in his face. Christ, he hoped not.

 

_Twelve thirty pm GMT._

"He'll be here," Dom muttered, running a hand nervously through his hair. "He's got to be here."

"He'll be here, lad," Billy insisted in a much calmer tone, pushing Dom's teacup into his hands. Even though they'd seen that the flight was delayed, they had gone ahead to Gatwick just in case, and now were sitting in a café as close to international arrivals as possible, waiting.

"I just… I miss him so much, you know? And you… and you and him together…"

Dom looked up from his cup, and Billy could see the bags under his eyes. He was worried, but then he knew he probably looked the same. He hadn't slept much from excitement these past few days. And so he looked up, with a smile, and brushed his finger over Dom's cheek, as tender a gesture as he would allow for a crowded airport.

"I love you, Dommeh. And he loves you, and you love both of us. You've got nothing to worry about," Billy said softly, guessing the fears behind Dom's sudden anxiety. Leaning in slightly, he pressed his forehead against Dom's for a moment over the table. "We'll all be together sooner or later, yeah?"

"Well gee, I was hoping sooner. You know, seeing as I've flown all this way."

Billy jumped nearly half out of his chair at the voice just over his right shoulder, and then managed to knock said chair halfway to the ground, setting off a chain reaction of tripping-stumble that had both Dom and Elijah staring at him with not a small amount of bemusement.

"Jesus sodding Christ, Elijah, warn a bloke…" Billy muttered, before he was swept up in a tight hug, Elijah's single bag dropped carelessly at his feet, one arm extending wordlessly to wrap Dom in the embrace when he stood.

"So fucking glad to be here," Elijah muttered in a whisper as they all held on tight, oblivious to the people looking curiously at three grown men locked in a bear hug in the middle of a café.

Billy tried to reply, but he found his words choking up in his throat, and Dom's hand went immediately to his lower back, squeezing gently, letting Billy know they were both there.

"For the love of God, Bills, take us home," Dom murmured, and Elijah grinned.

"That's the best idea I've heard all week."

 

"So this is my flat," Billy announced as they squeezed through the door in a tight bunch, refusing to buy into the concept of personal space now that both Elijah and Dominic were in London. "It's not much, but…"

"Shut the fuck up Boyd, and let me ravish you."

"Second!" Elijah chirruped enthusiastically, slamming the door shut and sliding the chain lock into its slot, followed by the deadbolt, as Dom shoved Billy up against the inside of the foyer and insinuated his tongue into Billy's mouth, his leg in between Billy's thighs.

"Fuck…" Elijah breathed, leaning against the opposite wall and just watching, his hands raking through his hair. After a moment, Billy reached out without breaking the kiss, and Elijah immediately stepped forward, sighing happily as Billy's hand twisted up under his shirt and then squeaking when Billy found and pinched a nipple. "Frisky, aren't you?"

"You have no _fucking_ idea," Billy moaned, the words smeared against Dom's lips. Elijah grinned and latched his teeth onto Dom's neck, biting down and immediately raising a bruise.

"Oh bloody hell… the two of you… fuck…"

Billy grinned evilly, shifting his gaze to Elijah. "This how you want it, lad? Should we tag team him?"

Elijah returned the grin, and Dom just let out a stuttering moan.

"Fuck… you… need it so much, Billy… Lighe… please… don't tease…"

Billy continued to smile, pulling Dom away from the wall, and despite his own extreme state of arousal managed to look completely in control. Elijah gulped, bit his lip, and nodded. "C'mon, Dommie. I'm tired. You're going to do a little something for me."

Dom gasped as Elijah trailed one finger teasingly light down the crease at the back of his jeans and he stumbled forward into Billy's leading grasp on his wrist. "Anything…"

"Mm. I like the sound of that, don't you, Elijah?" Billy asked, his voice raspy and low.

"Fuck, yeah," Elijah agreed, bag forgotten in the hallway as they bypassed the living room and made their way straight to Billy's bed. "Here's what I'm thinking," he announced, and Billy raised an eyebrow but didn't object to Elijah's control. "I want Dom's mouth on my cock…" Stumble, gasp. "While you fuck him, Billy. Slow."

Billy's only response was a wicked grin, and a tightening of his arm now around Dom's waist. "Make yourself comfortable, lad. We can be patient."

Dom let out a whimper. "Speak for yourself."

"Oh, I'll speak for you if I damn well please, lad," Billy objected in a rumbling whisper, directly in Dom's ear. Dom whimpered again. Elijah smiled.

"Let him up here," Elijah suggested, lying back against the pillows and unzipping his fly. "You want this, Dom?" He held his cock out in one fist, the head already slightly slick, and Dom licked his lips unconsciously.

"_Yes._"

"Up you go then, lad. Get your treat," Billy agreed with a little laugh, letting Dom go and settling at the edge of the bed to remove his shoes as Dom kicked his own off and eagerly scrambled up to kneel between Elijah's legs.

"God, Dom. Almost forgot how fucking _beautiful_ you are in person," Elijah gasped as Dom began licking eagerly at the junction between fist and cock, only Billy's arm now draped in warning around his waist keeping him from humping the mattress for relief.

"Better than the book, is he?" Billy teased, catching Elijah's eye over Dom's head.

"Oh, yeah. You too, Billy, so fucking gorgeous."

Billy raised an eyebrow. "I'm not…"

"Yes you are," the other two replied in perfect unison, Dominic's speech murmured against the head of Elijah's cock making Elijah moan as soon as he'd said it.

"C'mon, Billy. Get him ready. Want to feel his lips fucking tremble," Elijah murmured, his hand playing idly in Dominic's hair.

"Oh, he'll tremble all right," Billy agreed, his tone low in warning, fishing a condom and lube from his back pocket. "Spread," he commanded, tapping Dom's thigh, and he eagerly obeyed, shifting so that his arse was displayed for Billy when Billy yanked down his trousers. "Naughty boy," Billy whispered with a bit of a grin. "No pants… very naughty boy."

Dom moaned around Elijah's cock when Billy lowered his head to give Dom one teasing lick up the seam of his arse, and then bucked forward helplessly when Billy suddenly jammed one slick finger inside. "Yeah, Dom, you fucking take it," Elijah muttered, too horny to care that his voice was quickly starting to resemble a hardcore porn soundtrack. "Fucking hot like that, all strung out between us…"

Billy looked up as he curled a second finger inside, and then reached out with his other hand, just brushing the curve of Elijah's jaw with his fingertips. "It'll be you tonight," he whispered, a low promise, and Elijah met Billy's eyes without blinking.

"Looking forward to it," he replied, tone serious, before he looked back down to Dominic and slowly uncurled his fist, stroking the stretched "o" of Dominic's lips as he obediently sunk down further on Elijah's cock. "Good boy," he murmured, and Billy grinned. Such a beautiful fucking switch.

After a moment, Billy managed a third finger, and Dom's whimpers were as akin to begging as they could get, Elijah's hand now tight in his hair preventing more. "Don't think I can wait much longer, lad," Billy admitted to Elijah, withdrawing his fingers and rolling the condom on.

"Fuck, me neither. C'mon, Billy. I want to see this."

Dominic's moan as Billy sunk into him in one, slow, seemingly never-ending stroke was continuous, and when Elijah finally—mercifully—let him off for a moment, he was gasping for breath.

"_Please_," he gasped and Elijah grinned, his cock held tightly in his fist out of necessity now.

"Go on, Billy. Give it to him hard. I think he deserves it."

"Thank fuck," Dom gasped before returning his tongue to Elijah's cock to show his gratitude.

"Jesus… missed this," Billy murmured against Dom's earlobe, one hand on Elijah's calf. "You're so bloody good, both of you."

"God, Billy, please say you're close," Elijah moaned. "Can't fucking wait…"

"Close from the moment we saw you in the airport, love," Billy admitted, twisting one of Dom's nipples again just to hear the pained cry around Elijah's cock. Dom had given up on finesse with Billy's rough pace and instead just slipped his lips around it, letting Billy push him forward onto Elijah. Elijah's hand was a vice grip in his hair, but he didn't complain.

"Fuck… can't… fuck!" Elijah cried out as he came, head snapping back with the force of his orgasm. Dom moaned as he swallowed, and Billy only needed a few more thrusts before he was following Elijah, jerking Dom's cock underneath his body until he finally came.

"Bloody hell," Dom murmured as he finally slid off of Elijah, his head falling to the nearest spot of bare mattress next to Elijah's hip. "Time to sleep for about a million years."

"_You_ need to sleep," Elijah scoffed. "I left my apartment sixteen hours ago. This is the first time I've been comfortable since then."

Billy smiled and slowly pulled out of Dom, discarding the condom and rolling over to lie next to Elijah. "Well by all means, lad, stay comfortable as long as you'd like. We've nowhere to go."

"Except that you don't have a tree yet, and tomorrow is Christmas Eve," Dom mumbled into the sheets. "Poor planning, Boyd."

"Hey," Billy objected, popping Dom lightly on the hip. "Who was it that wanted me to wait till he arrived to trim the tree, again?"

"To _trim_ it, not to _buy_ it."

Elijah rolled his eyes. "Do I have to separate you two?" Silence. "Oh, and can I _please_ have a bloody cigarette?"

Billy frowned. "Can you smoke out the window, lad?"

Elijah stared at him incredulously.

"All right, forget I asked," Billy grumbled as Elijah dug in his pocket for cigarettes and lighter. "I suppose I can have the place cleaned after the holiday."

"Melodrama, Billy. Doesn't become you. A little smoke just gives a place character," Dom argued. "Elijah? Fag?"

Elijah smirked as he lit his cigarette. "Yes. Your point?"

Dom rolled his eyes, and Elijah passed him a second cigarette, lighting it off his own.

"Billy?"

"What?"

"Smoke?"

"I haven't smoked in ten years."

"No time like the present to start," Elijah replied with a beatific grin.

"You are extremely hazardous to my health," Billy grumbled as he slid a cigarette from the packet and held it to Elijah's.

"Oh, extremely," Elijah agreed, grinning contentedly as he took a long drag. "Now this is the life."

"Mmm. Agreed," Dom murmured, snuggling into Elijah's side. "Wake me when it's Christmas."

 

_Late that evening…_

"Fuck… this fucking tree weighs a bloody ton!"

"Might be easier to lift if someone would actually contribute some muscle to the equation rather than whinging the whole time."

"Oh fuck you."

"Not my turn."

"Boys."

Dom and Elijah both stopped complaining with long-suffering sighs in response to the tone in Billy's voice, and managed the last few steps to the door of his flat in silence.

"We're going to have to cut the top off," Billy realised once he'd let them in and they'd carried the tree to its hallowed spot in the corner of the living room.

"Okay, so maybe I went a _bit_ overboard," Dom agreed grudgingly, eyeing the ceiling with suspicion.

Elijah just laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "It's all right. It's kind of cute."

"We'll get it fixed up here in just a tic," Billy agreed, giving Dom's hair a quick scruff. "And tomorrow we can buy decorations…"

 

"Billy!!"

Dom and Elijah turned to look at each other at the sudden squeal, each arching an eyebrow in turn as the woman came barrelling to the front of the shop, this time draped in red, green, and gold garland.

"So which one's the boyfriend?" she asked with a knowing little smile, looking from one to the other. "Wait, I bet I can guess. I have impeccable gaydar."

Billy just slowly lowered his head to one hand, as Dom and Elijah tried very hard not to burst into giggles at Clare's outburst.

"Hmm… this is a difficult one, though. I mean I'd bet twenty quid this one's about as straight as the letter J," she surmised, giving Dom and his ever-stylish outfit a quick up-and-down, much to Elijah's delight, "but then Candidate #2 shows some potential as well… lovely eyes. I can see how you'd like the eyes, Billy."

"She's astute, Billy. They are lovely eyes," Dom agreed, wiggling his eyebrows as Elijah gave up and burst out laughing.

"Okay, then, which one is it?" she asked, grinning at Billy.

"It's both of them," he muttered, giving up on decency in light of the farce that was taking place.

"Both? Oh! Never would've guessed you had it in you from the looks, Billy. A lucky bugger you are, though," she added with a wink for Dom.

Dom grinned in return and looped his arm through her elbow. "Very lucky, he is. Now how about those tree ornaments, milady?"

 

"So what do you do for Christmas Eve in England?" Elijah asked as they cuddled together on the sofa after supper. "You still have Santa Claus, right?"

Dom rolled his eyes. "Of course we have Santa Claus. And we have stockings and midnight mass. It's not all that different."

"You go to mass on Christmas Eve?" Elijah asked, wrinkling his nose. "And here I was all comfortable."

Billy laughed and gave Elijah a little squeeze around the waist. "I wasn't planning on it. But yes, it's traditional. There are two carol services, and the children leave out stockings like you do in America, and mince pies and brandy for Father Christmas."

"Mince pies and _brandy?_" Elijah gave Billy a look of disbelief. "For us it's cookies and milk!"

"You make your parents drink milk on Christmas Eve?" Dom asked, looking scandalised. "Well I knew you Americans were obsessed with health, but Jesus, that's practically criminal."

Elijah shrugged. "It's not like the children are supposed to go rooting around in the liquor cabinet."

"Ah, well that's a national difference I just can't get behind," Billy teased. "Whisky is mother's milk to me."

Dom rolled his eyes and poked Billy in the ribs. "You can't fool me, Boyd. You're the most sober Scotsman I know."

"Damn. My secret's out."

Elijah giggled. "And what about presents? When do we do them?"

"_After_ Christmas dinner," Billy insisted.

"Ooh, what're we having?" Dom asked. "Did you pluck me a goose, Billy-boy?" he teased, eyelashes fluttering as he leaned over Elijah's lap to pout at Billy.

"No, Monaghan, I most certainly did not. You will be having roast turkey and potatoes like the rest of us."

Dom pouted, and Elijah laughed. "But there will be pudding, right?"

"Of course there's pudding, lad. And mince pies, and Christmas cake."

"Ooh, goody."

"And brandy?" Elijah asked, smirking.

"A lovely bottle of Cognac smuggled across the border by our dear Dominic himself, in fact."

"Only the best for you, my loves."

Elijah laughed and smacked a kiss on his cheek. "What's a holiday without good alcohol?"

"Absolutely pointless," Billy agreed, with conviction, and they all raised their glasses of eggnog for a toast.

 

"What about Scotland?" Elijah asked as they all sat around Billy's kitchen table the next day, stuffed with turkey and potatoes and lots and lots of pudding. "Do you celebrate Christmas differently there?"

"We don't really have much of a Christmas tradition," Billy explained. "Christmas used to be sort of banned… the Presbyterians didn't like it much, so it was only a holiday for the children. When my Gran was a young woman, her husband had to work on Christmas Day."

"Work on Christmas? That's fucking insane!"

Billy shrugged. "It's just wasn't that big a holiday. Hogmanay was much more important."

"You have a holiday to celebrate hogs?"

Dom nearly spit out his wine from laughter, only to be silenced by a very stern look from Billy.

"No, lad. Hogmanay. It's Scots for the New Year."

"Oh. What do you do then?"

"Well, now it's pretty much like your New Year's celebrations, but before the fifties when people started celebrating Christmas again, Santa Claus came on Hogmanay Night. Now people pretty much celebrate Christmas like the Americans or the English do."

"Well that's boring."

Billy shrugged. "Sorry we're not exotic enough for you, lad."

"Hey Bills, do you have any Christmas crackers?" Dom asked suddenly, eyes lighting up.

Billy rolled his eyes. "I was afraid you might ask that. They're in that bag in the corner."

Dom grinned and jumped up from his chair, finding said bag and bringing a handful over. "What are those?" Elijah asked.

"You don't know Christmas crackers?" Dom exclaimed, looking slightly shocked. "Jesus, you are deprived."

"I'm not deprived! I'm American."

"That's right, ladies and gentlemen, he'll be here all week," Billy muttered under his breath, just as Dom popped a cracker, right next to Elijah's ear.

"Holy _fuck_! What was that?"

Dom giggled in delight at Elijah's girly scream and tossed the rest of the crackers on the table. "These, pet, are Christmas crackers. Here, try one. There's stuff inside."

"Said the priest to the nun…"

"Billy!"

 

"_Now_ can we open presents?" Elijah asked, and Billy groaned.

"You're insatiable, lad."

"You know it. Can we?"

"Fine, fine. Stockings first," Billy conceded, passing one full stocking each to Dom and Elijah, who was sprawled out in Dom's lap on the sofa, having just eaten much too much Christmas cake while watching the Queen's speech on Billy's ancient television.

"I can't believe you got us stockings," Dom murmured fondly, rifling through his chocolates and knickknacks as Elijah dumped his all out on the floor in a pile.

"Well it's not like I'm going to have any children, so the two of you are the next best thing."

"Next?" Elijah stuck his tongue out. "We're much cooler than kids."

"Though not necessarily any quieter," Billy countered with a small smile.

"Hey! I can be quiet!" Dom objected.

"Yeah, when you're bound and gagged," Elijah interjected with a grin, earning a friendly smack on the shoulder.

"I think you're much more inclined to the bondage than I am, pretty boy. You don't even put up a fight," Dom smirked.

"And just for that, you have to produce presents first. I happen not to fight because Billy is very good at what he does, asshole."

Dom rolled his eyes as he went to get his bag. "Fighting can be _fun._ But fine, yeh wanker, you can have your present first," he conceded, passing Elijah a thin rectangular package.

"Is it a book? It looks like a book."

"Open it and see," Dom returned in a slightly exasperated tone.

"Holy _shit_," Elijah gasped, seeing the framed photograph. Dom was not only completely tricked out in indie rock getup, but he was leaning against a brick wall, next to a taped-up flyer that read "Band Entrance" with an arrow pointing the left, smoking a cigarette and holding his cock in one hand, his jeans unzipped, eyes smouldering and focused on the camera. "Holy fucking _shit_, Dommie."

Dom grinned, pleased, as Elijah tackled him in a hug and a very enthusiastic kiss on the floor. "You'd better be happy; took about a million shots to get one I thought you'd approve of."

"Jesus, I'm not picky."

Billy frowned. "And just how long did you spend with a hard-on in front of this photographer to get your 'million shots,' Dominic?"

Dom grinned and sat up from the floor, smacking a kiss on Billy's cheek before he passed Billy his own present. "I was hoping you'd ask that, Boyd. There. Open."

Wrapped in silver paper, Billy's present was also framed in black, an 8 x 10 shot, though this one was in black-and-white. He held the photograph up with a critical eye, and then he grinned. "Dom, you brilliant fucking bastard, I love you so much…"

As Billy took his time thanking Dom, Elijah reached out curiously for the photograph, and then realised why Billy was so happy when he saw the close-up of Dom's wrist, tied with a black scarf to what looked like a wrought iron headboard, "Billy" and "Elijah" scrawled in elegant cursive along the inside of his forearm.

"So when you're worrying like you do, you can remember that I belong to you," Dom murmured when Billy finally broke the kiss. "To both of you."

"Fuck, lad, you're too good to me."

"He's right, you know," Elijah added, bending his head to nip lightly at Dom's earlobe. "He's ours… and I'm yours…" he continued, reaching out to grab Billy's hand and press it to his own heart, "… and you're ours. Right, Billy?"

"Too right," Billy agreed, moving his lips now to graze over Elijah's. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome. So, my turn for presents?"

"Sure, lad. Show us what you've got."

"Well… I went a little sentimental," Elijah admitted, pushing up to his feet to retrieve his bag. "So if this is too much, just say…"

"I don't think it will be, Elijah. Come on, let's see," Dom encouraged, and Elijah smiled, reaching for the matching velvet boxes in his zippered pocket.

"All right. Here you are, then."

"Oh, Elijah. Are you asking us to marry you? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!" Dom trilled in what was perhaps the worst impression ever done of a Southern belle, falling into Elijah's lap and batting his eyelashes.

"Shut up, you idiot, and open the box."

Billy smiled and opened his first, and Dom followed shortly after, finding the simple sterling rings inside.

"These are gorgeous, lad," Billy exclaimed, and Dom nodded enthusiastically.

"I've got a special spot for it," he offered with a grin, holding up his left hand and pointing to the one bare finger. "Was saving it for my wedding ring, but, you know, next best thing…"

Elijah laughed and pulled his own copy out of his bag as well, slipping it on his finger. "The insides are engraved," he explained, and Billy peered inside to have a look.

"We're here?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you know, so if you're lonely, you can remember…" Elijah explained, blushing a bit. "That we're there. In spirit, or whatever."

"Elijah Wood, you great big girl's blouse," Dom exclaimed, though as he was grinning and pulling Elijah into a hug as he said it.

"Oh fuck you," Elijah grinned. "Can we get on to Billy's present, please?"

"All right," Dom agreed easily. "Billy? Present?"

"You know one of these days, I'm going to teach the two of you some manners," Billy grumbled as he went to the desk in the corner and rifled through a drawer. "Here we are. And don't either of you say no, because the tickets are non-refundable and I've some money saved up."

Dom raised an eyebrow as Billy passed them each a plain white envelope.

"Tickets?" he asked, but Elijah was already tearing his envelope open and staring in disbelief.

"Italy? We're going to fucking Italy?"

Billy grinned and nodded. "We most certainly are, and before you ask, I already cleared that week with your office so that you can have a holiday, and Dom, I've spoken with your agent as well."

"Bloody _hell_, Billy," Dom exclaimed, staring at the plane tickets in his hand. "You're… you…"

"Your favourite boyfriend?"

Dom and Elijah exchanged a brief look, nodded, and then turned back to Billy with a grin.

"For a few days, at least," Elijah agreed, as they both crawled across the carpet to snuggle up to him from opposite sides, littering kisses over his neck and shoulders.

"Fucking love you, Boyd," Dom muttered. "So much…"

"Couldn't stand not knowing when the two of you would be coming back to me," Billy admitted, one hand going to each of their backs and rubbing lightly. "I rang a travel agent, asked for somewhere warm and gay-friendly, and she recommended this place. It's a little house, just outside of Florence…"

"Say no more," Elijah interrupted. "We are so there."

Billy grinned. "Good. You'd better be."

"With bells on," Dom agreed, smirking. "Perhaps even bells tied to my bits, for a pressie this nice."

"Don't know about bells, but I might tie your bits up with something," Billy suggested with a little growl. "No neighbours around this house, you know… you'll be able to beg just as loudly as you like."

"Mm, I fucking like the sound of that," Elijah murmured.

"So Italy, then?"

"Italy," Elijah agreed.

"Italy later," Dom added. "Bed now."

Billy smiled and bit lightly at the slope of his shoulder. "I love the way you think."

 

"Happy New Year's Eve morning, babycakes."

Elijah groaned and lifted an arm up to cover his eyes, rolling towards Billy and away from Dom, who was grinning much too joyfully for ten am, his morning erection pressed up against Elijah's arse.

"Too early," he moaned, trying to hide his face against Billy's chest as Dom chuckled.

"Never too early for sex."

"I disagree," Billy grumbled, pulling Elijah closer to him and sliding his leg in between Elijah's thighs as Dom bounced slightly into a sitting position.

"Come on. I'm horny!"

"You're always horny, Dominic."

"No, but I'm _especially_ horny this morning."

"We were up late last night. Aren't you tired?" Elijah argued. "You know, like a normal human being?"

"I do not speak your language," Dom replied in a cheerfully monotone robot voice. "See pretty. Must fuck." He rubbed his cock insistently against the divide between Elijah's arse cheeks, and Billy sighed.

"Fine. Can you at least fuck him _quietly_, lad?"

"Hey!" Elijah protested. "I thought you were on my side!"

"Aw, Elijah darling, this isn't _about_ sides," Dom cooed, sliding his hand over Elijah's hip to grip his cock. "It's about how happy you are to see me," he reasoned with a little squeeze to the half-hard shaft.

"I'm going back to sleep," Elijah mumbled, not very convincingly.

"No you're not. You're going to let me fuck you. Unless you'd rather just stay half asleep while I do it, and quite honestly I'd be fine with that."

Across the bed, there was a clear intake of breath. Dom's hand stilled, and he grinned.

"Like that idea, do you Billy-boy?"

"Dom…"

"Nope. Can't change your mind now," Dom interrupted cheerfully, squeezing and stroking Elijah's cock again, which despite his reluctance had happily sprung into action in Dom's hand and was beginning to lengthen. "I think the lad's awake, though. You've ruined it."

"Am not," Elijah mumbled into the pillow, though his hips were now rocking subtly into Dom's palm. "Sleeping."

Billy smirked and finally gave up, emerging from his cocoon of blankets with one arm first, grappling for the lube on the bedside table. "Shall I open him up for you?" he suggested, voice husky with sleep, and Elijah groaned.

"I think that's a capital idea," Dom agreed with a smile, nipping at Elijah's earlobe. "Spread your legs, honey."

"Fuck, Dom."

"Oh yeah. Going to fuck you," Dom agreed, as Billy reached between Elijah's thighs and stroked his balls lightly with two fingers, before pulling back and slipping one into his arsehole. "Best way possible to wake a man up, in my opinion."

"Well I wouldn't go that far," Billy murmured with a grin against the back of Elijah's neck. "Lest we forget the time honoured tradition of the good-morning blowjob. A deserved reputation, I'd say."

Elijah just groaned and rotated his hips between Dom's hand and Billy's fingers, two now, twisting into his arse.

"Eager lad," Dom murmured happily, biting Elijah's jaw. "So good for us, aren't you?"

"I want to try something," Billy decided, kissing the top of Elijah's spine. "Throw your leg over Dom's hip, would you lad?"

Elijah sighed and complied slowly, stretching a bit before he lifted his leg and slid it up, up, his knee crooking over Dom's hipbone.

"Are you thinking…?"

Billy grinned as Dom trailed off, and he caught Dom's eye over Elijah's head, nodding. Dom matched the grin and nodded to confirm the plan, holding Elijah's leg steady with one hand as Billy helped position him, drawing his fingers out and guiding Dom's cock inside.

"Oh _fuck_," Elijah groaned, only partially muffled by the pillow. Dom's cock slid smoothly inside him, despite the difficult angle, Billy pressed full-length up against his back.

"Jesus, Billy, that's beautiful," Dom murmured, stroking Elijah's hair gently back from his slightly sweaty forehead and slipping his thigh over Elijah's to make it easier. "It just _pulls_…"

"Aye," Billy agreed, sighing and biting down on Elijah's shoulder as he stroked the distended skin around Dom's cock. "Aye."

"Fuck me," Elijah whispered into the pillow, and Dom obeyed, shifting his hips just slightly, rocking gently so as not to dislodge Elijah. Reaching around, he took a hold of Billy's hip, and Billy raised his head to lean forward and give Dom a kiss.

"Legs up more, Lighe," Billy cooed, and Elijah obeyed without question, sliding slowly into a more bent shape, Dom's cock shifting inside him as his leg slid further under Dom's.

"Oh fuck," Dom groaned. "Can't last long…"

"Don't move too much," Billy coached. "Just a little bit, Dom. That's it. Just like that…"

Dom moaned in frustration, clenching Elijah's hip, and Billy smiled, scratching Elijah's lower back lightly with his fingernails as he kissed the nape of his neck.

"Billy, _please_," Elijah whimpered, trying to writhe between them as he reached up and grasped the back of Dom's head. "Please."

"After you come, lad, I'm going to fuck him," Billy murmured. "Going to fuck him while you watch. You want that, don't you?"

"Oh _God_, Billy."

"Yeah, that's right. Knew you'd want it."

"Fuck, Billy," Dom hissed.

"Keep going, lad. Finish him off."

Elijah whimpered again as Billy slipped his hand between them, stroking his cock quick and hard as the three of them moved in one mass, rubbing their bodies against each other.

"Oh God, Billy. Oh God. Billy, Billy…"

"C'mon lad, yeah, c'mon."

Elijah cried out as he came, and Dom kept fucking him, a few more strokes before Billy growled and crawled over Elijah, gently tugging Dom away and then not-so-gently laying him out on his back. "Spread," he commanded, and Dom did as he was told, feet flat on the bed and legs far apart. He lifted his hips, and Billy pushed in, hard but slow, no lube and Dom's groan broke off into a high, pained cry, stifled by Elijah's mouth as Billy put his hands under Dom's arse to hold him in place. "Not till you're ready, lad," Billy murmured, lowering his head and pushing his tongue against Dom's left nipple.

"Oh God Billy," Dom whispered, the words mashed against Elijah's lips, reaching out blindly to touch them both with his eyes squinched shut.

"Breathe for me, lad," Billy muttered, brushing Dom's throat with his lips. "Breathe."

Dom let out a shaky breath as Elijah gently stroked his hair, and Billy smiled. "Good boy."

Dom responded with a little whinge, a little happy sound that made Elijah think of a wriggling puppy. "That's right, Dom," Elijah added, his voice soft, kissing Dom's ear. "You're a very good boy." His tone was less assured than Billy's, but his words still served to calm Dom, and he exhaled slowly, his lips curving into a contented smile as Billy shifted his hips slightly.

"That's right, sweetheart," Billy whispered, kissing now between Dom's collarbones. "Open for me. Let me in."

Dom let out a shaky sigh, and his body gave just a bit, Billy sinking slightly further inside.

"Love," he whispered, gasping as Billy held him steady. "Love…"

"We love you too, Dom," Elijah murmured, kissing Dom's neck. "Love you so much."

"Oh God," Dom gasped, and Elijah kept his hands moving, stroking and lightly chafing Dom's skin.

Billy kept moving, slowly, first just rocking inside Dom and then lengthening his strokes, sweat and precome easing the way as Elijah continued to stroke and kiss Dom to reassure him.

"That's it, Dominic. Just like that," Billy murmured, gasping and clutching at Dom's thighs. "Fuck."

"Love you Billy," Dom whispered. "Love you."

"Love you too, lad. So beautiful…"

"Fuck, both of you," Elijah agreed. "Fucking gorgeous."

"Turn over, lad," Billy suggested suddenly. "I want you on your stomach. Want you to feel me."

Dom whimpered as Billy pulled out, but bonelessly let his legs drop and obediently rolled over. He started to pull his knees up under his body, but Billy stopped him with a hand on the small of his back. "No. Just like that."

"Oh _fuck_, Billy," Elijah gasped. "Just… fuck."

"Yeah," Billy agreed, fingering Dom's hole open again, rubbing the relaxed muscle tissue until Dom was pleading in a litany of wordless whimpering cries. "Beautiful, isn't he?"

"Yeah," Elijah groaned, kissing Dom's cheek as Billy flicked his prostate. "So beautiful. We're so proud of you, baby," he murmured quietly, meeting Dom's eyes, and Dom smiled almost sleepily, though he whimpered again as Billy pushed back into him. "So proud of you," Elijah repeated, recognising the blissed-out look on Dom's face as that of a man deep down in some sort of headspace.

Watching Elijah and Dom's little exchange, Billy smiled and pushed as far inside as he could, groaning at the pressure on his cock from the new angle. He started fucking Dom slowly, but soon sped up, his movements pushing Dom into the bed, his cock grinding against the mattress. After only half a dozen strokes, Dom was begging, the only word he could form an endlessly repeated "please."

Billy's fingers tangled in his hair, pulling his head back, his teeth sinking into Dom's neck before he hissed a firm "yes," and Dom went tumbling over the edge.

"Oh God, Billy, yes, Billy, fuck, fuck, love you, oh God…"

"Fuck," Elijah groaned, watching intently, his fingers entwined tightly with Dom's as he came for what seemed like an endless amount of time, triggering Billy's own orgasm. Billy groped blindly for the back of Elijah's head, and Elijah succumbed eagerly to the hard kiss, his tongue probing Billy's mouth as he emptied into Dom's body. When he was finished, though, Billy pulled away from Elijah immediately and bent to kiss the back of Dom's neck, stroking his back and arms gently, not pulling out right away.

"You did so well for us, Dommeh. So well. We love you so much, ye ken? So very, very much."

Dom sighed happily, clutching the sheets in one hand and Elijah's sweaty palm in the other. "Love you too," he murmured. "Love you, Billy. Love you, pet."

Elijah smiled at the nickname and bent to kiss Dom's lips gently, his hand ruffling his hair. "You're amazing, Dom."

"Mm," he sighed in response, and Billy laughed as he pulled out slowly, immediately drawing Dom up into a spooning position on his side and kissing his neck, his arms falling to settle around Dom's waist. With an encouraging nod from Billy, Elijah joined the embrace, his head resting next to Dom's on the pillow.

"_Now_ can we sleep?" he asked, and Billy just laughed.

"I think so, lad. Sounds like an excellent idea to me."

"Dommie?"

"Mph."

"I suppose that answers that."

 

"I'm bored."

"You're bored."

"Yes. Why shouldn't I be?"

"Oh, I don't know. Because you're in bed with the two most sexually talented men in the United Kingdom?"

"Dom, you live in France."

"Technicalities!"

"Well, I like sex."

"I should rather hope you do, lad," Billy mumbled, joining the conversation with a smile and a kiss to the small of Elijah's back.

"I do… it's just that I'm in _London._ I want to do something."

"Last time you saw us, you were in Paris, and perfectly happy to spend all your time getting fucked," Dom reasoned with a smirk.

"Yes, but I'd never met either of you in person and I needed 48 hours to get it out of my system. Now I'm not afraid that you're going to vanish, and I want to go do something fun."

"Fair enough," Billy agreed. "But we were never going to vanish, lad," he added seriously, tugging Elijah down to kiss his lips.

"I know," Elijah murmured, "now I know."

"Good lad. Now let's get dressed. I've got just the thing."

 

Much to Billy's pleasure, Elijah loved Trocadero. Digital camera in hand, he snapped an obnoxious number of pictures of Piccadilly Circus while Dom tried to get Billy to make out with him in the middle of the street, and once they were inside, Elijah quickly discovered the joys of Funland.

"Dom, _look_! They have over four hundred video games, and American pool…"

"Just what we need. A perfectly good game whose rules are purposefully bastardised so that I don't know how to play," Dom muttered, earning a punch in the shoulder from Elijah.

"Hey, what are Dodgems?" he asked, frowning at the sign.

"You don't know Dodgems?" Billy asked. "They're little cars; you ride around in them and try to hit the other people."

"Oh, bumper cars. Right. We have those. C'mon, let's go upstairs. I want to play video games."

"Billy, you do realise I'm going to kill you, right?"

"Yes, love, but let the lad have his fun," Billy replied with a grin, slipping his hand in Dom's back pocket as they followed the practically-skipping Elijah up the stairs at a more sedate pace and giving his arse a little pinch. "We'll make up for it later."

 

Billy really did _not_ want to know what the other two were doing in his bedroom. Or maybe he did, but either way it was irrelevant. He'd been banished to the living room to change for their night out, and now the only clues as to the activities taking place on the other side of the locked door were the occasional giggle or yelp.

At half past eight, he sighed and knocked on the door, calling through it. "Boys! We're going to miss our dinner reservation if you don't get out here!"

"Sorry!" Dom called. "We're coming!"

Billy sighed and waited a few more minutes, after which the door flung open to reveal Dom and Elijah looking… well… almost ridiculously conservative, for the two of them.

Dom wore dove grey trousers and waistcoat, along with a cream coloured shirt with a high collar and a deep red tie. He had his jacket slung over his shoulder, was wearing glasses, and had combed his hair to one side, looking surprisingly tame. Elijah wore a similarly toned-down outfit, consisting of charcoal grey trousers, a few shades darker than Dom's, white shirt and black tie, and a navy blue jumper that made it look like he belonged in sixth form.

Billy raised an eyebrow as he stood, looking at them appraisingly.

"That's what took you so long? I was half expecting something out of a glam rock group, makeup and all."

"Well we had to try on several outfits," Dom reasoned with a pout. Peering over his shoulder, Billy saw the bed piled haphazardly with clothing and sighed.

"I see that."

"Oh come on old man," Elijah teased, coming over and loosening Billy's tie. "Loosen up. Don't we look good?"

"Very good," Billy agreed with a sigh, breathing in Elijah's cologne.

"Then relax, take us out to dinner, and let us have a lovely New Year's Eve alone with you," Dom reasoned. "We can go out and be trampy anytime," he joked. "Tonight's for you. So we'll be your posh, sophisticated boys. Come show us off."

Billy grinned and raised his free arm, waiting until Dom settled easily under it before heading for the door. "With pleasure."

 

"So do we have a plan for ringing in the New Year?" Dom asked as he blindly fed Elijah some chocolate-raspberry torte with crème anglaise.

"I was thinking we'd go to Greenwich Park," Billy replied. "It's cold, I know, but…"

"Sounds lovely," Dom replied to quiet him.

"What's Greenwich Park?" Elijah asked, licking some stray cream and chocolate from his lips.

"It's where the meridian is," Dom explained. "Where they take Greenwich Mean Time from."

"Oh. So it's like, the exact official New Year there? At midnight."

"I suppose so, yes," Billy agreed.

"Cool!"

Dom laughed at Elijah's enthusiasm and wiped some cream away from Elijah's lip with his thumb, drawing the tip between his own lips to suck it away.

"Do you go to Times Square for the New Year often, Elijah?" Billy asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Rarely. It's a fucking nuthouse down there, and people are always out in droves to mug the tourists. I usually go to a club; sometimes I have a show to work."

"Working on New Year's?" Dom asked. "That's fucking cruel."

Elijah shrugged. "I get paid more and still get my champagne at midnight. It's not bad."

"Oh, that reminds me," Billy interrupted. "We'll need to get a bottle."

"Isn't it illegal to drink in parks?" Elijah asked.

"No one's going to care on New Year's."

"And if they do," Billy added, "the two of you are much more suspicious looking. I'll just hand the bottle to Dom and say I've never seen either of you in my life."

"Oh whatever," Elijah scoffed. "You'd save our asses and you know it."

"Well it doesn't matter, because like Dominic said, no one is going to arrest us on New Year's."

"Thank God for that."

"Don't fancy spending a bit of time in a foreign jail cell, pet? It builds character."

"No. I fancy going home after midnight and sucking your cock, Dom. Doesn't that sound more pleasant?"

"Oh," Dom breathed. "Check please."

 

"So that's it?" Elijah asked, looking at the green line through the sky.

"That's it."

"Greenwich."

"Aye."

"Kind of anti-climatic."

"A bit."

"And I'm going to freeze my fucking balls off."

"Thank you for that image, Elijah."

"You like my balls."

"When shrunken and possibly unattached, no."

"How many more minutes?" Dom asked, and Billy raised his wrist to just under his eyes, squinting at the face of his watch in the darkness.

"Seven."

"Next year, I vote we celebrate New Years in the Virgin Islands," Elijah suggested.

"I don't think it's particularly warm there," Billy informed him. "Maybe Jamaica?"

"Tahiti!" Dom crowed. "I'll lick exotic drinks from Elijah's bellybutton."

"Do I get any say in this?"

"No," Dom decided easily.

"Oh," Elijah replied, and then after a long pause, "Well that's all right."

Billy smiled into the darkness and tucked one young man under each arm, squeezing tightly through layers of winter clothing.

"I love you," he said softly, and his voice had the promise of something more in it that kept the other two from automatically responding. "For a long time… I went out of my way to be detached from other people, from relationships and anything remotely like this. I wasn't depressed, and I didn't _think_ I was lonely… but I didn't have people in my life that I let myself depend on. Now, if I'm hurt, or sick, or can't cope, I can pick up the phone. And I _know_ there's someone in America," he said, squeezing Elijah a little tighter, "and someone in France," he continued, squeezing Dom, "that would drop everything to come make sure I have everything I need, and to make sure I'm smiling besides. You… you both mean the world to me. I want you to understand that."

There was a very long pause, warm breath mingling in the cold air as chests rose and fell in unison, and then to either side of Billy two young men smiled and softly spoke at the same time. "We know."

Billy grinned and bent his head, kissing one blonde head and the other brown. "Happy New Year," he whispered, his thumbs rubbing the backs of their hands as they waited for the fireworks to explode in the distance.

"Happy New Year, Billy," one voice replied, thick with emotion.

"Happy Hog Day," said the other, and the only sound was a dull smack of leather glove on denim and a chain of giggles in the darkness.


End file.
